Fuser roll for fixing toner to a substrate

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a fuser roll useful for heat-fixing an electrographic toner to a substrate, wherein the roll comprises a core having thereon a base cushion layer comprising a condensation-crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer and having at least one other layer thereover, characterized in that the base cushion layer has zinc oxide particles dispersed therein in a concentration of from 8 to 40 percent of the total volume of the base cushion layer. The base cushion layer of such a fuser roll has been unexpectedly found to exhibit only minimal weight loss, creep, and changes in hardness, over time, when subjected to conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fuser roll useful for heat-fixing a heat-softenable toner material to a substrate. More particularly, the invention relates to a fuser roll having improved stability under conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress.

BACKGROUND

Heat-softenable toners are widely used in imaging methods such as electrostatography, wherein electrically charged toner is deposited imagewise on a dielectric or photoconductive element bearing an electrostatic latent image. Most often in such methods, the toner is then transferred to a surface of another substrate, such as, e.g., a receiver sheet comprising paper or a transparent film, where it is then fixed in place to yield the final desired toner image.

When heat-softenable toners, comprising, e.g., thermoplastic polymeric binders, are employed, the usual method of fixing the toner in place involves applying heat to the toner once it is on the receiver sheet surface to soften it and then allowing or causing the toner to cool.

One such well-known fusing method comprises passing the toner-bearing receiver sheet through the nip formed by a pair of opposing rolls, at least one of which (usually referred to as a fuser roll) is heated and contact& the toner-bearing surface of the receiver sheet in order to heat and soften the toner. The other roll (usually referred to as a pressure roll) serves to press the receiver sheet into contact with the fuser roll.

The fuser roll usually comprises a rigid core covered with a resilient material, which will be referred to herein as a "base cushion layer." The resilient base cushion layer and the amount of pressure exerted by the pressure roll serve to establish the area of contact of the fuser roll with the toner-bearing surface of the receiver sheet as it passes through the nip of the pair of rolls. The size of this area of contact helps to establish the length of time that any given portion of the toner image will be in contact with and heated by the fuser roll. The degree of hardness (often referred to as "storage modulus") and stability thereof, of the base cushion layer are important factors in establishing and maintaining the desired area of contact.

Also, often the pressure roll and fuser roll have a regular cylindrical shape, but it has been found in the prior art to be advantageous in some cases to change the shape of the pressure roll in order to vary the amount of pressure exerted by the pressure roll against the receiver sheet and fuser roll. This variance of pressure, in the form of a gradient of pressure that changes along the direction through the nip that is parallel to the axes of the rolls, can be established, for example, by continuously varying the overall diameter of the pressure roll along the direction of its axis such that the diameter is smallest at the midpoint of the axis and largest at the ends of the axis, in order to give the pressure roll a sort of "bow tie" or "hourglass" shape. This will cause the pair of rolls to exert more pressure on the receiver sheet in the nip in the areas near the ends of the rolls than in the area about the midpoint of the rolls. This gradient of pressure helps to prevent wrinkles and cockle in the receiver sheet as it passes through the nip.

However, if, over time of use, the fuser roll begins to permanently deform to conform to the shape of the pressure roll, the gradient of pressure will be reduced or lost, along with its attendant benefits. It has been found that permanent deformation (alternatively referred to as "creep") of the base cushion layer of the fuser roll is the greatest contributor to this problem.

In the past, it has been thought that various materials' suitability for use in fuser roll base cushion layers in terms of their stability during use----i.e., their ability to resist degradation (as evidenced by weight loss), creep, and changes in hardness, during use in fuser rolls----could be determined by subjecting samples of the materials to conditions of continuous high temperature and continuous high stress (i.e., pressure), and then measuring the resultant changes in weight, shape (e.g., length), and hardness (e.g., storage modulus). However, the present inventor has unexpectedly found that such testing is not a very good predictor of the stability the materials will exhibit during actual use in fuser roll base cushion layers.

The present inventor theorized that the lack of consistent correlation of such test results to the degree of stability many materials exhibit during actual use in fuser rolls, was due to the fact that while materials are indeed subjected to conditions of continuous high temperature during use in fuser rolls, the conditions of high stress they are subjected to during such use are not in fact continuous, but rather are cyclic. This is because the stress that any given portion of the fuser roll experiences increases significantly as the portion passes through the nip between the rolls as they rotate and decreases as that portion leaves the nip area.

Accordingly, the present inventor has helped to develop a device called a Mechanical Energy Resolver (sometimes alternatively referred to herein as an "MER"), which can be used to test samples of materials of interest for use in fuser roll base cushion layers. The device applies heat continuously to maintain the samples at a constant elevated temperature. The device also applies stress to the samples in the form of a compressive force, but does so in a manner such that the amount of compressive force applied varies cyclicly (i.e., sinusoidally). The results of such testing consistently correlate with, and therefore reliably predict, the degree of stability a material will exhibit in the base cushion layer of a fuser roll during actual use.

One type of material that has been widely employed in the past to form a resilient base cushion layer for fuser rolls is condensation-crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer. "Poly(dimethylsiloxane)" will sometimes be alternatively referred to herein as "PDMS." The prior art has also taught or suggested that various fillers comprising inorganic particulate materials can be included in such PDMS base cushion layers to improve their mechanical strength and/or thermal conductivity. Higher thermal conductivity is advantageous when the fuser roll is heated by an internal heater, so that the heat can be efficiently and quickly transmitted toward the outer surface of the fuser roll and toward the toner on the receiver sheet it is intended to contact and fuse. Higher thermal conductivity is not so important when the roll is intended to be heated by an external heat source. Disclosure of such filled condensation-cured PDMS elastomers for fuser rolls can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos., 4,373,239; 4,430,406; and 4,518,655.

One specific example of a condensation-crosslinked PDMS elastomer, which contains about 32-37 volume percent aluminum oxide filler and about 2-6 volume percent iron oxide filler, and which has been widely used and taught to be useful in fuser rolls, is sold under the trade name, EC4952, by the Emerson Cummings Co., U.S.A. However, it has been found that fuser rolls containing EC4952 cushion layers exhibit serious stability problems over time of use, i.e., significant degradation, creep, and changes in hardness, that greatly reduce their useful life. The present inventor has also found that MER test results correlate with and thus accurately predict the instability exhibited during actual use. Nevertheless, materials such as EC4952 initially provide very suitable resilience, hardness, and thermal conductivity for fuser roll cushion layers.

It would therefore be very desirable to be able to provide a fuser roll with a base cushion layer comprising a condensation-crosslinked PDMS elastomer containing appropriate fillers, wherein the cushion layer material will exhibit, under conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress, good stability, i.e., good resistance to degradative weight loss, creep, and changes in hardness. The present invention meets this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a fuser roll useful for heat-fixing an electrographic toner to a substrate, wherein the roll comprises a core having thereon a base cushion layer comprising a condensation-crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer and having at least one other layer thereover, characterized in that the base cushion layer has zinc oxide particles dispersed therein in a concentration of from 8 to 40 percent of the total volume of the base cushion layer.

The base cushion layer of such a fuser roll has been unexpectedly found to exhibit only minimal weight loss, creep, and changes in hardness, over time, when subjected to conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The condensation-crosslinked PDMS elastomer in the base cushion layer of fuser rolls provided by the invention can be formed by condensation reaction of silanol-terminated PDMS polymers with multifunctional silanes.

Silanol-terminated PDMS polymers and methods of their preparation are well known. They are readily commercially available, e.g., from Huls America, Inc., 80 Centennial Ave., Piscataway, N.J., U.S.A., and have the structure: ##STR1## For purpose of the present invention n is an integer such that the Structure (I) polymer has a weight average molecular weight of from 7,000 to 70,000. If the molecular weight were below 7,000, the final crosslinked PDMS would have a high crosslink density that would make the material too hard and brittle, and not resilient enough to serve practically in a base cushion layer. If the molecular weight were above 70,000, the final crosslinked PDMS would be too unstable under conditions of high temperature and cyclic stress (i.e., there would be too much creep and change in hardness over time), even when zinc oxide fillers are dispersed therein in accordance with the invention.

The multifunctional silanes that can serve as crosslinking agents for the Structure (I) polymers are well known for this purpose. Each of such silanes comprises a silicon atom bonded to at least three groups that are functional to condense with the hydroxy end groups of the Structure (I) polymers to thereby create siloxane crosslinks through the silicon atom of the silane. The functional groups of the silanes can be, for example, acyloxy (R--COO--), alkenoxy (CH₂ =C(R)O--), alkoxy (R--O--), dialkylamino (R₂ N--), or alkyliminoxy (R₂ C=N--O--) groups, wherein R represents an alkyl moiety. Some specific examples of suitable multifunctional silane crosslinking agents are methyltrimethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane, methyltripropenoxysilane, methyltriacetoxysilane, methyltris(butanone oxime)silane, and methyltris(diethylamino)silane.

In the case where alkoxy functional groups are employed, the condensation crosslinking reaction is carried out with the aid of a catalyst, such as, for example, a titanate, chloride, oxide, or carboxylic acid salt of zinc, tin, iron, or lead. Some specific examples of suitable catalysts are zinc octoate, dibutyltin diacetate, ferric chloride, and lead dioxide.

The zinc oxide particles employed as filler in the base cushion layer of a fuser roll of the invention can be obtained from any convenient commercial source, e.g., Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y., U.S.A. The particle size does not appear to be critical. Particle sizes anywhere in the range of 0.1 to 100 micrometers have been found to be acceptable.

The zinc oxide filler particles are mixed with the Structure (I) polymer and multifunctional silane crosslinker prior to curing the mix on the fuser roll core to form the base cushion layer. The zinc oxide particles comprise from 8 to 40 percent of the total volume of the base cushion layer. Concentrations less than 8 volume percent will not provide the degree of stability desired to the layer. Concentrations greater than 40 volume percent will render the layer too hard to provide the desired area of contact with the toner-bearing receiver sheet.

In cases where it is intended that the fuser roll be heated by an internal heater, it is desirable that the base cushion layer have a relatively high thermal conductivity, so that the heat can be efficiently and quickly transmitted toward the outer surface of the fuser roll that will contact the toner intended to be fused. Zinc oxide filler particles increase the thermal conductivity of a condensation-crosslinked PDMS base cushion layer. When zinc oxide particles are dispersed in the base cushion layer at a concentration of from 33 to 40 percent of the total volume of the layer, the thermal conductivity of the layer is at least as high as prior art base cushion layer formulations, such as the previously mentioned EC4952.

It has also been unexpectedly found that up to 50 volume percent of the zinc oxide filler particles can be replaced with aluminum oxide particles, and the base cushion layer still exhibits the desired improved stability to elevated temperature and cyclic stress. In regard to thermal conductivity, replacement of up to 50 volume percent of the zinc oxide with aluminum oxide, produces an unexpected synergistic increase in thermal conductivity; i.e., at a given total concentration of zinc oxide plus aluminum oxide, the layer will exhibit higher thermal conductivity than it would with the same total concentration of either zinc oxide filler alone or aluminum oxide filler alone. Thus, the invention also provides a fuser roll with a condensation-crosslinked PDMS base cushion layer containing from 20 to 39.9 volume percent zinc oxide particles and from 20 to 0.1 volume percent aluminum oxide particles, with the total concentration of zinc oxide plus aluminum oxide particles being from 33 to 40 volume percent.

As defined above, fuser rolls in accordance with the invention also have at least one other layer over the base cushion layer. This allows one not to be concerned with the wear-resistance and toner-release properties of the base cushion layer. Properties such as abrasion-resistance and the ability to fuse toner without having some of the toner adhere to the fuser roll and be pulled away from the receiver sheet as it exits the nip of the rolls, can be provided by such other layer or layers over the base cushion layer, as is well known in the art.

Also, in some fusing systems a release oil, such as a PDMS oil, is continually provided and coated over the outermost surface of the fuser roll during use, in order to aid the roll in releasing from the toner it contacts during the fusing operation. If such oil contacts the condensation-crosslinked PDMS base cushion layer, it can cause the layer to swell and change its shape undesirably and can also cause other undesirable degradative effects such as loss of adhesion of the base cushion layer to the fuser roll core. Materials for the other layer or layers over the base cushion layer can be chosen to provide a barrier that prevents such release oil from coming into contact with the base cushion layer, as is also well known in the art.

For description of other layers and materials therefore that can be usefully provided over fuser roll base cushion layers, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,375,505; 4,430,406; 4,501,482; and 4,853,737. In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the base cushion layer has one other layer thereover, which is an oil-barrier layer comprising poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), a material commercially available, for example, from DuPont, U.S.A., under the trademark, Viton A. In some other specific embodiments, there are two layers over the base cushion layer, e.g., an oil-barrier layer and, thereover, an outermost layer that provides good wear-resistance and toner-release properties, comprising, for example, a vinyl-addition-crosslinked PDMS having silica and titania fillers dispersed therein, such as is commercially available from Dow-Corning, U.S.A., under the trademark, Silastic E.

Usually, the other layer or layers are flexible but thinner than the base cushion layer, so that the base cushion layer can provide the desired resilience to the fuser roll, and the other layers can flex to conform to that resilience without having to be resilient themselves. The thickness of the base cushion layer and other layers will be chosen with consideration of the requirements of the particular application intended. For example, base cushion layer thicknesses in the range from 0.6 to 5.0 Mm have been found to be appropriate for various applications. In some embodiments of the present invention, the base cushion layer is about 2.5 mm thick, and any oil-barrier and/or wear-resistant toner-release layers thereover are each about 25 to 30 micrometers thick.

The core of the fuser roll is usually cylindrical in shape. It comprises any rigid metal or plastic substance. Metals are preferred when the fuser roll is to be internally heated, because of their generally higher thermal conductivity. Suitable core materials include, e.g., aluminum, steel, various alloys, and polymeric materials such as thermoset resins, with or without fiber reinforcement.

To form the base cushion layer of a fuser roll in accordance with the invention, the Structure (I) polymer, a slight excess of the stoichiometric amount of multifunctional silane to form crosslinks with all the hydroxy end groups of the Structure (I) polymer, and the appropriate amount of zinc oxide filler (and, if desired, aluminum oxide filler) are thoroughly mixed on a three-roll mill. If a catalyst is necessary, it is then added to the mix with thorough stirring. The mix is then degassed and injected into a mold surrounding the fuser roll core to mold the material onto the core. The covered core remains in the mold for a time sufficient for some crosslinking to occur (e.g., 18 hours). The covered roll is then removed from the mold and heated to accelerate the remaining crosslinking. The other layer or layers are then coated thereover by any appropriate method.

The following examples are presented to further illustrate some specific fuser roll base cushion layer materials in accordance with the invention and to compare their properties with base cushion layer materials not useful in accordance with the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 25 Vol % ZnO

Sample slabs of filled condensation-crosslinked PDMS elastomer were prepared by mixing Structure (I) silanol-terminated PDMS, tetraethoxysilane (also referred to as "TEOS") crosslinking agent, and particulate filler on a three-roll mill and then stirring dibutyltin diacetate catalyst into the mix. The formulation was degassed and injected into a mold to cure for 48 hours at 25° C. and 50% relative humidity. The resultant slab was removed from the mold and further cured in an air-circulating oven for 16 hours at 205° C. The final filled condensation-crosslinked slab was 1.9 Mm thick. Circular disks (12 mm diameter) were cut from the slab.

Thermal conductivity of the disks was measured in accordance with ASTM F433-77.

Six of the circular disks were stacked, one upon the other, weighed, and then placed in a test instrument called a Mechanical Energy Resolver (also referred to herein as an "MER"), commercially available from Instrumentors, Inc. Strongsville, Ohio, U.S.A. The instrument heated the stack to 218° C. and imposed a static compressive force of 8 kg on the stack. The length of the stack under the initial compressive force was then measured, as was the initial hardness (expressed in terms of "storage modulus"). The MER then imposed cyclic stress on the sample stack by sinusoidally varying the initial compressive force by 4 kg rms at a frequency of 30 Hz for 60 hours, while maintaining the 218° C. temperature. After 60 hours, the final hardness and length under the static 8 kg compressive force were measured, as was the final weight of the sample stack. The storage modulus determination was done in accordance with the method of calculation described in Fitzgerald, et al., "The Effect of Cyclic Stress on the Physical Properties of a Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Elastomer," Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol. 32, No. 18 (September 1992), pp. 1350-1357. Results of these tests are presented in Table I below, wherein "TC" means thermal conductivity, "SM" means storage modulus, "%ΔSM" means the percent change in the storage modulus after 60 hours of cyclic stress and elevated temperature, "L" means length of the six-disk stack, "%ΔL" means the percent change in L after 60 hours of cyclic stress and elevated temperature, and "%WL" means the percent loss in weight after 60 hours of cyclic stress and elevated temperature.

In this example the formulation employed to prepare the samples comprises: 71.03 Volume percent (32.26 weight percent) silanol-terminated PDMS having a weight average molecular weight of about 32,200, obtained commercially from Huls America, Inc., U.S.A., under the trade designation, PS 342.5; 3.71 vol. % (1.62 wt %) TEOS crosslinking agent; 25.00 vol % (65.91 wt %) ZnO particles; and 0.35 vol. % (0.22 wt %) dibutyltin diacetate catalyst.

Additionally, a fuser roll in accordance with the invention was prepared. The outer surface of a rigid cylindrical aluminum core was scrubbed clean, rinsed with hot water, and dried. To this core was applied a thin layer of primer (obtained commercially from General Electric Co., U.S.A., under the trade designation S54044) using a brush and then drying in ambient air (room temperature) for one hour.

The base cushion layer formulation described above was then injected into a mold surrounding the core to mold the base cushion layer to the core. The material was left in the mold at room temperature for 18 hours. The covered roll was then removed from the mold, allowed to stand for 2 days, then heated slowly up to a temperature of 232° C. over 18 hours, and then maintained at 232° C. for another 18 hours to complete the crosslinking. The resultant base cushion layer had a thickness of about 2.5 nm. An oil-barrier layer comprising poly(vinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylene) (obtained commercially from DuPont, U.S.A., under the trademark, Viton A) was then coated to a thickness of about 25 micrometers on the base cushion layer to yield the final fuser roll.

The fuser roll was then employed in a simulated fusing system with a pressure roll arranged to press against it with a pressure of 552 kPa. The pressure roll had the "bow tie" or "hourglass" shape mentioned previously, with the radius of the pressure roll at the midpoint of its axis being 81 micrometers smaller than the radii of the roll at the ends of its axis.

While pressing against each other, the rolls were rotated such that their outer surfaces traveled at a speed of 12.7 cm/s, with the fuser roll being maintained at a temperature of 204° C. The system was operated continuously under these conditions for 100 hours.

After completion of this test, it was found that the fuser roll remained regularly cylindrical; i.e., the base cushion layer did not creep (permanently deform) to conform to the shape of the pressure roll.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE A EC4952

Sample circular disks were prepared and tested as described in Example 1, except that the samples contained 32-37 vol % particulate aluminum oxide filler and 2-6 vol % particulate iron oxide filler, instead of the 25 vol. % ZnO particulate filler employed in Example 1. The material was obtained commercially from the Emerson Cummings Co., U.S.A., under the trade name, EC4952. Results of the MER tests on these samples are presented in Table I below.

The results show that EC4952 was much more unstable under conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress than that of Example 1, exhibiting much more weight loss, change in storage modulus, and creep (change in length).

Additionally, a fuser roll was fashioned as described in Example 1, except, again, the base cushion layer material was EC 4952, instead of the formulation described in Example 1. In this case, after completion of the test, it was found that the base cushion layer exhibited significant creep, i.e., the radius of the region of the fuser roll about the midpoint of its axis increased by 76 micrometers. In other words, the base cushion layer permanently deformed to conform to the shape of the pressure roll, in contrast to the base cushion layer of the inventive fuser roll of Example 1, which did not permanently deform.

EXAMPLES 2-6 8, 15, 20, 35 and 30 Vol % ZnO

Sample circular disks of base cushion material in accordance with the invention were prepared and tested as described in Example 1. The formulation was similar to that of Example 1, except that instead of 25 vol. % ZnO, the samples of Examples 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 contained 8, 15, 20, 35 and 30 vol. % ZnO, respectively.

The results of these tests are presented in Table I below, and show that all of these samples exhibited good stability under conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress, although the Example 2 sample (with 8 vol. % ZnO) was clearly approaching the lower concentration limit for acceptable results.

EXAMPLES 7-8 Different PDMS MW's

Sample circular disks of base cushion material in accordance with the invention were prepared and tested as described in Example 5, with the formulations containing the same proportions of materials, except that the molecular weights of the silanol-terminated PDMS's were different. In Example 7 the silanol-terminated PDMS had a weight-average molecular weight of about 38,900, and was obtained commercially from Huls America, Inc., U.S.A., under the trade designation, PS 343. In Example 8 the silanol-terminated PDMS had a weight-average molecular weight of about 48,650, and was obtained commercially from Huls America, Inc., U.S.A., under the trade designation, PS 343.5.

The results of these tests are presented in Table I below, and show that the samples of Examples 7 and 8 exhibited good thermal conductivity and stability.

EXAMPLE 9 17.5 vol, % ZnO and 17.5 vol, % Al₂ O₃

Sample circular disks of base cushion material in accordance with the invention were prepared and tested as described in Example 5, except that instead of 35 vol. % ZnO, the samples contained 17.5 Vol. % ZnO plus 17.5 vol. % Al₂ O₃.

The results of the MER tests are presented in Table I, below, and show that the samples exhibited good stability under conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress and exhibited unexpected synergistically improved thermal conductivity compared to formulations with only 35 vol. % ZnO (Example 5) or only 35 vol. % Al₂ O₃ (Comparative Example E, below).

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE B ZnO plus MgO

Formulations were prepared as in Example 5, except that instead of 35 vol. % ZnO, there was employed 35 vol. % filler comprising ZnO and MgO in various proportions. None of these formulations would undergo condensation-crosslinking. Apparently, the presence of MgO prevented the crosslinking reaction from occurring.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES C AND D 33 vol, % and 51 vol, % Graphite

Sample circular disks were prepared and tested as in Example 5, except that, instead of 35 vol. % ZnO, the samples of Comparative Example C contained 33 vol. % graphite fibers, and the samples of Comparative Example D contained 51 vol. % graphite fibers.

Results of the tests are presented in Table I, below, and show that the samples of both these comparative examples were unstable under conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress (fairly high weight loss and very large change in storage modulus).

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES E, F, G, AND H 35 vol. % Al₂ O₃, TiO₂, WO₃, and CaO

Sample circular disks were prepared and tested as described in Example 5, except that instead of 35 vol. % ZnO, the samples of Comparative Examples E, F, G, and H contained 35 vol. % Al₂ O₃, TiO₂, WO₃ (tungsten oxide), and CaO, respectively.

Results of the tests are presented in Table I, below, and show that the samples of all of these comparative examples were unstable under conditions of elevated temperature and cyclic stress (high weight loss and very high changes in storage modulus and/or length).

                                      TABLE I                                      __________________________________________________________________________               Initial                                                                            Final   Initial                                                                            Final                                                     TC   SM  SM  ΔSM                                                                          L   L   ΔL                                                                           WL                                           Example                                                                             (W/mK)                                                                              (MPa)                                                                              (MPa)                                                                              (%) (mm)                                                                               (mm)                                                                               (%) (%)                                          __________________________________________________________________________     1    0.512                                                                               3.671                                                                              3.808                                                                              3.7 8.607                                                                              8.244                                                                              4.2 0.61                                         2    0.256                                                                               0.748                                                                              0.624                                                                              16.6                                                                               7.146                                                                              6.115                                                                              14.4                                                                               1.13                                         3    0.362                                                                               1.516                                                                              1.534                                                                              1.2 8.007                                                                              7.414                                                                              7.3 0.57                                         4    0.445                                                                               2.956                                                                              3.013                                                                              1.9 8.688                                                                              8.121                                                                              6.5 0.76                                         5    0.691                                                                               5.579                                                                              5.949                                                                              6.6 9.370                                                                              8.993                                                                              4.0 0.52                                         6    --   4.614                                                                              5.190                                                                              12.5                                                                               8.946                                                                              8.396                                                                              6.2 0.60                                         7    0.654                                                                               3.498                                                                              3.970                                                                              13.5                                                                               7.353                                                                              7.090                                                                              3.6 0.35                                         8    0.651                                                                               5.327                                                                              6.017                                                                              13.0                                                                               10.528                                                                             10.069                                                                             4.4 0.35                                         9    0.768                                                                               3.952                                                                              4.047                                                                              2.4 8.575                                                                              7.903                                                                              7.8 0.68                                         Comp. A                                                                             0.675                                                                               6.711                                                                              10.601                                                                              58 11.346                                                                             4.337                                                                              62  7.81                                         Comp. B                                                                             --   --  --  --  --  --  --  --                                           Comp. C                                                                             0.445                                                                               4.129                                                                              6.120                                                                               48 9.506                                                                              9.206                                                                              3.2 1.34                                         Comp. D                                                                             --   15.841                                                                             42.610                                                                             169 10.795                                                                             10.750                                                                             0.4 2.18                                         Comp. E                                                                             0.649                                                                               4.003                                                                              0.943                                                                               76 8.699                                                                              2.900                                                                              67  7.39                                         Comp. F                                                                             0.521                                                                               3.622                                                                              8.416                                                                              132 9.405                                                                              7.699                                                                              18.1                                                                               2.58                                         Comp. G                                                                             0.441                                                                               4.489                                                                              16.138                                                                             260 9.369                                                                              7.329                                                                              21.8                                                                               4.26                                         Comp. H                                                                             0.495                                                                               17.201                                                                             59.553                                                                             246 12.763                                                                             11.983                                                                             6.1 5.34                                         __________________________________________________________________________

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it should be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fuser roll useful for heat-fixing an electrographic toner to a substrate, wherein the roll comprises a core having thereon a base cushion layer comprising a condensation-crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer and having at least one other layer thereover,characterized in that the base cushion layer has zinc oxide particles dispersed therein in a concentration of from 8 to 40 percent of the total volume of the base cushion layer.
 2. The fuser roll of claim 1, wherein the concentration of zinc oxide particles is from 33 to 40 percent of the total volume of the base cushion layer.
 3. The fuser roll of claim 1, wherein the concentration of zinc oxide particles is from 20 to 39.9 percent of the total volume of the base cushion layer, andfurther characterized in that the base cushion layer has aluminum oxide particles dispersed therein in a concentration of from 20 to 0.1 percent of the total volume of the base cushion layer, and the total concentration of zinc oxide plus aluminum oxide particles is from 33 to 40 volume percent.
 4. The fuser roll of claim 1, wherein the condensation-crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer has been formed by condensation reaction of silanol-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) polymers with multifunctional silanes, each of such silanes comprising a silicon atom bonded to at least three groups that are functional to condense with hydroxy end groups of the silanol-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) polymer to thereby crosslink the through the silicon atom of the silane.
 5. The fuser roll of claim 4, wherein the silanol-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) polymer has have a weight average molecular weight of from 7,000 to 70,000.
 6. The fuser roll of claim 4, wherein each of the functional groups of the multifunctional silanes independently comprises an acyloxy, alkenoxy, alkoxy, dialkylamino, or alkyliminoxy group.
 7. The fuser roll of claim 4, wherein the functional groups of the multifunctional silanes comprise alkoxy groups, and wherein the condensation reaction has been carried out with the aid of a catalyst for the reaction.
 8. The fuser roll of claim 1, wherein the other layer over the base cushion layer is an oil-barrier layer.
 9. The fuser roll of claim 8, further comprising a wear-resistant outermost layer over the oil-barrier layer.
 10. The fuser roll of claim 9, wherein the wear-resistant outermost layer comprises vinyl-addition-crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) containing silica and titania fillers, and the oil-barrier layer comprises poly(vinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylene). 